Improvement in trunk-fixtures



UNITED" STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

vCHARLES A. TAYLOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IIN TRUNK-FIXTURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,860, dated May 21, 1878; application filed February 18, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. TAYLOR, of Chicago, in the county of Oookand State of Illinois7 have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Trunk-Fixtures, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being herein had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- Figure l is a perspective vie-w of a trunk provided with my improved fixtures; Fig. 2, a front view of the catch or fastening, detached; Fig. 3, a vertical central section of the same; Fig. 4, a rear view of the fastening; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the cam-loop.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to render the catch or fastening plate capable of being made and applied with greater facility than those heretofore manufactured, and to improve the construction and operation of the catch or fastening in other particulars, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

O is the upper part of the catch or fasten-` ing which I employ instead of the ordinary strap and buckle for aiding in holding or fastening down the lid or top of the trunk. This part is made of cast metal, by preference, and has heretofore been applied, by means of separate rivets, to metallic bands on the edge of the lid or top of the trunk.

To facilitate the operation of applying the part C, I cast thereon the small post or pin b, extending from the back of the plate, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, the plate and post consisting of malleable metal.

In the band to which the part O is to be applied I make a hole to receive the pin b, and I apply the plate by passing the pin through this hole rearwardly, and by hammering down the inner end of the pin until it is headed sufiiciently to prevent the plate from being re moved. In other words, I cast the rivet upon the plate, pass the rivet through the hole made to receive it, and then head the rivet on the end exposed. A nail or screw driven through the tip of the plate C will prevent the latter from being turned on its rivet, and the plate will thus be firmly held in its place.

F is that part of the plate or fastening which I apply to the body of the trunk. This part consists of the base-plate Gr, or which is the cross-bar of the loop J, having thereon the eccentric or cam K, resting on the spring I.

-L is Aa shoulder or lug on the outer face of the plate C. The lug L is formed and arranged to receive the upper end of the loop J, and the action ofthe cam K and spring I is such as to hold or press the loop J down over the shoulder or lug L; but the force of the spring is such as to allow the loop to be raised or carried from the lug when the trunk is to be opened, and, when the loop is thrown sufficiently back from the lug the cam and spring are inoperative.

M is a downwardly-proj ecting tongue on the plate O, and this tongue is constructed and arranged to enter theupper end or mouth of the box or recess H when the trunk is closed.

To allow the loop J to pass over the tongue and lug easily while the trunk is being closed, the parts of the tongue and loop which then come in contact with each other should be beveled, or one of those parts should be beveled, for that purpose, as represented in Fig. 3.

It will be perceived that this fastening may be used instead of the ordinary straps and buckles, and that the snaploops may be easily raised in order to open the trunk, and that they will engage the lugs automatically when the trunk is being closed, and that such en gagement may be easily eected by pushing the free ends of the loops upward until the cams and springs are rendered operative for carrying the loops to the lugs.

More than one rivet may be cast on the plate C for the purpose set forth, if deemed tally from the rear face of the said plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A trunk catch or fastening consisting of the combination of the plate O, having there on the lug or shoulder L, the plate G, and the snap-loop J, substantially as and for the purall substantially asand for the purposes speciposes specified. iied.

3. A trunk catch or fastenin 0 consisting oi' the combination of the plate C? having there- CHARLES A' TAYLOR' on the lug1 or shoulder L and the post or pin Witnesses: 11, the plate Gr, box or recess H, spring I, and F. F. VARNER, loop J having the cam K on its cross-bar, JAM-Es H. CoYNE. 

